Golf ball holder



Dec. 1, 1953 H. E. SEATON ET AL GOLF BALL HOLDER Filed May 24, 1949 Patented Dec. 1, 1953 UNITED STA GOLF BALL HOLDER Harold E. Seaton and Chester H. Baker, Shelby, Ohio 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improved golf ball holder adapted to be worn by the golfer for holding a spare golf ball ready for instant use. When used by men golfers, the holder can be hooked down over the trouser belt, or over the waist band of the trousers or slacks, or over the edge of a pocket, if desired. When used by women golfers, the holder can be hooked over a belt, the waist band of the skirt, edge of a pocket, or the like.

Golf ball holders of this general type afford numerous advantages to the player. For example, many golf players prefer to use two or more golf balls during a round of golf, such as a playing ball that is used from the tee to the green, a putting ball that is used only on the green, or a separate ball for shots across water hazards or in locations where the ball may go out of bounds. In such cases, the player frequently carries the additional golf ball in his trouser pocket with an assortment of tees, coins, cigarettes, etc, with the result that the bulging pocket causes the golfer to feel uncomfortable and untidy, and the pocket quickly shows the effects of continued bulging. When a difierent ball is needed for play, the golfer digs down into his pocket and fishes around through the numerous articles for the ball he intends to use. It is frequently necessary to pull other things out of the pocket before the ball can be reached, and this is not conducive to the proper mental attitude for making the next shot. In the case of women golfers wearing only a skirt and blouse, there may be no pockets to carry an extra golf ball. To carry all of the extra balls within the ball pocket of the golf bag complicates the situation still further. For example, when using caddies, the caddy may have gone ahead with the bag, as for example, to hold the pin at the putting green, which is a common practice on short holes or on approach shots. moment, the golfer may drive his ball out of bounds, or sink it in a water hazard, or lose it in the rough, with the result that the play is held up until the caddy runs back with another ball. psychological reaction previously mentioned is also a very definite handicap to many players when teeing off at a Water hole in the presence of other players. If the drive lands in the water, and the player has to unfasten the golf pocket of is bag, or fumble around in the golf pocket or in his trouser pocket for another ball, all the whil holding up the game, his tension and anxiety are likely to mount to the point where he is ,ractioally certain to dub his next shot. Many of these objections and difficulties are At this avoided when the player wears a golf ball holder that disposes a spare ball where it is instantly available to him, so that he can put it into play immediately any time that he desires without fuss or bother.

One of the objects of the invention is to pro vide a golf ball holder of the above general de scription which is characterizedby an improved mounting clip. This mounting clip is particularly designed to be hooked over a trouser belt, skirt belt or the like, but it also serves very effectively when hooked over trouser waist bands, slacks, skirts, pockets, or even hat bands. This mounting clip comprises front and back clip portions defining a gripping slot therebetween, the bottom end of which is open and the top end is closed. The open bottom end of this gripping slot is adapted to be forced down over the top edge of the belt, trouser waist band, or the like. This improved mounting clip has three distinctive features, to wit: (1') a flaring entrance to the bottom end of the slot to facilitate starting the slot down over the belt or garment; (2) a tapered form of slot of wider width at the top and narrower width at the bottom to increase the gripping action in the slot; and (3) a forwardly projecting retainer flange at the bottom edge of the back portion to engage under the bottom edge of the belt or to engage against the back side of any fabric material extending up into the slot, whereby to prevent or minimize the possibility of the device accidentally working itself upwardly to a position where it might become disengaged from the belt or garment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a golf ball holder characterized by an improved ball gripping arrangement. This consists of two circular rings which project outwardly from the mounting clip, and between which the ball is snapped when the ball is to be held by the holder. These rings extend in parallel relation a distance apart less than the diameter of the ball so that the outer portions of the rings must be flexed outwardly in separatedrelation when inserting and removing the ball. The circular openings within the parallel gripping rings are relativel large to accommodate relatively large portions of the spherical contour of the ball, and hence firmly retain the ball between the rings against accidental displacement.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved golf ball holder of the above general description which can be molded from a plastic material.

Other objects, features-and advantages of the as indicated at E2.

tween the rings.

3 invention will be apparent from the following detail description of one preferred embodiment thereof. In the accompanying drawing illustrating such embodiment:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved holder;

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are front elevational, side elevational and plan views, respectively, on .a larger scale, showing the holder mounted upon a trouser belt or the like; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side view showing the tapered form of the slot in the mounting clip before engagement over the belt.

The entire holder is preferably .molded asasingle integral unit from a suitable plastic .ma-

terial. Cellulose acetate butyrate is one typical example of a plastic material which has thenecessary flexibility, but it will be understood that other materials may be employed, if desired.

The mounting clip of the device comprises a front wall portion Hi and a backwallportion II which are integrally joined together atthe top, These front and back-por tions define a vertical gripping slot-l4 th-erebetween which is of tapered form, being normally narrower at the bottom than at the top, as shown in Figure 5. The lower end of this gripping slot [4 is formed with an outwardly flared entrance opening 55 at the bottom, produced by rounding the lower inner edge I6 of the front wall portion ID. This 'fiared opening to the slot facilitates the operation of forcing the clip down'over the top edge of a belt, such as indicated at'B. Proje'cting forwardly from the bottom edge of the back portion ii is a retaining lip or flange H c which is adapted to hook under the bottom edge of the belt B. This retaining or looking flange i! prevents the clip portion from gradually working upwardly on the belt B during the'walking and playing movements of the player, and thus substantially eliminates the possibility 'of the clip and ball workingloose and becomingflost,

The golf ball, indicated on an enlarged scale at G, is held between the two ball'gripping rings 20 which extend outwardly from the mounting 'clip in vertical laterally spaced relation. These rings comprise inwardly extending web portions 21 which join integrally with the front wall portion iii at the side edges thereof (see' Figure 1). These rings are of large diameterand have large circular openings 22 therein for embracing relatively large spherical areas at opposite sides of the ball. This assures that the ball will be securely held between the two rings, and will not become separated therefrom until the player actually presses the ball outwardly from between the rings. As remarked above, a plasticmaterial is chosen which has a relatively high degree of resiliency, and this permits the two rings to be flexed apart the necessary'distance to permit' the insertion and removalof the ball.- Asshown in Figures2 and 4, thediameter of theball'G is considerably larger than. the normal. lateral spacing between the rings 20, so that the ball i'sfirmly held against accidental displacement from be- The. cross section of each ring at the opening 22 may b'e'*s'quare or'round, as

desired.

The average golfer willusually prefer to wear this golf ball holder on his trouser belt, preferably toward the rear, such as above either hip pocket of his trousers. In this position, the holder cannot possibly interfere with the swing of the arms or of the club in making a stroke. If a trouser belt orotherbelt is not being worn; the

d mounting clip I6, I I lends itself readily to mounting on other portions of the wearing apparel. For example, this mounting clip can be hooked down over the waist band of slacks, a skirt, or the like, in practically the same way in which it is hooked over a belt. Similarly, the mounting clip can be hooked over the upper edge of a pocket .inthe jacket, skirt, trousers,,etc. vIn each of these latter uses, the tapered form of the gripping slot [4 and the resiliency inherent in the mounting clip causes the clip to resiliently and firmly engage the fabric material inserted into the slot,

.theiorwardly projecting lower lip ['1' also coact ing in thisregard by pressing forwardly against the inners'ide of the fabric material to prevent upward displacement of the clip from the fabric. lilhileiwelhave illustrated and described what weregard to be the preferred embodiment of our invention, nevertheless we wish it to be understood that this embodiment is exemplary, and that modifications and rearrangements can be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention. For example, instead of molding the holder, it might be stamped from sheet plastic, or' made from resilient metal and formed to the desired shape.

We claim:

1. -In a golf ball holder, the combination of a mounting clip adapted to hook over a belt or the like, and a pair of flat ball retaining rings projecting outwardly from said mounting clip in substantially parallel vertically disposed relation for enabling the ball to be snapped into retained position between said rings by movement therebetween in a substantially horizontal direction toward said mounting clip, said rings being of substantially square cross section, said clip com prising a front portion and a back portion joined together at the top of the clip and separated at the bottom to form an open slot adapted to pass down overthe top edge of the belt, the lower inner'edge of said front portion being rounded to 'form a flared entrance to the lower end'of said 'slot, "said slot being normally narrower at the bottom than at the top to increase the grip against the lower portion of the belt, and a forwardly projecting retaining flange at the lower edge of said back-portion adapted to hook under the lower edge of the belt to prevent the holder from creeping upwardly on the belt.

2. In a golf ball holder molded in one piece of a relatively resilient plastic material, the combination of a mounting clip adapted to hook over a belt or the like, and a pair of flat ball retaining rings formed integral with said mounting clip and projecting outwardly therefrom in substantially parallel vertically disposed relation for enabling the ball to be snapped into retained position between said rings by movement therebetween in a substantially horizontal direction toward said mounting clip, said clip comprising a front portion and a back portion joined together at the top of theclip and separated at the bottom to form an open slot adapted to pass down over '7 the top edge of the belt, and a forwardly projecting retaining flange at the lower edge of said back "portion adapted to hook under the lower edge of the belt to prevent the holder from creeping upwardly on the belt.

3. Ina golf ball holder of the class described molded entirely in one piece of a relatively resilient plastic material, the combination of a mounting clip adapted to hook over a belt or the like, said clip comprising a front portion and a back portion integrally joined together at the top of the clip and separated at the bottom to form an open slot adapted to pass down over the top edge of the belt, two laterally spaced web portions formed integral with the side edges of the front portion of said clip and extending forwardly therefrom in vertically disposed parallel relation, a pair of flat rings formed integral with said web portions and extending forwardly therefrom in vertically disposed parallel relation to form a single ball receiving pocket therebetween, said rings having horizontally aligned circularly openings therein of relatively large size so that the rings embrace the ball therebetween at relatively large radii of contact, with the peripheral surface of the ball projecting through said openings beyond the outer side surfaces of said rings, whereby when the holder is in place on the wearer's belt the resilience of the plastic rings permits the ball to be easily removed from said pocket when pulled straight out from the pocket in a horizontal direction, but whereby the large radii engagement of said circular openings over the sides of the ball strongly resists displacement of the ball from said pocket in an upward or downward direction, thereby minimizing the possibility of accidental displacement of a ball from the pocket during play by the swinging of a golf club, or in the carrying of a golf bag, and a forwardly projecting retaining flange at the lower edge of the back portion of said clip adapted to hook under the lower edge of the belt, thereby also minimizing the possibility of accidental displacement of the clip from the belt during play by the swinging of a golf club, or in the carrying of the golf bag.

HAROLD E. SEATON.

CHESTER H. BAKER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 422,056 Martin Feb. 25, 1890 1,314,392 Glamzo Aug. 26, 1919 1,618,573 Cole Feb. 22, 1927 1,625,856 Judd Apr. 26, 1927 1,911,256 Andrew May 30, 1933 2,074,180 Hatley Mar. 16, 1937 2,548,330 Wiseman Apr. 10, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 290,971 Germany Mar. 28, 1916 

